Secrets and Lies
by Alexi Hart
Summary: Eponine is leaving her mysterious past behind and starting a fresh, new school, new people. but her dark shadows are catching up with her and unknown threats lie ahead. AU High school fic. E/E, M/C and Coufeyrac/OC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this is my first Les Mis fanfic, obviously I don't own anything just the storyline. I've read lots of High school fanfics and was inspired to write my own. hope you enjoy and review if you want me to continue**

* * *

"Name?" the man in the black suit said.

"Eponine Jondrette,"

"Azelma Jondrette,"

"Parents?" he asked.

"Lena and Mark Jondrette, Mark missing in action 2010 Lena Deceased 2008 child birth."

"Family?"

"Lived with grandparents for the past 6 years."

"Where?"

"Chicago."

"Good you seem to know your cover story well. Now this school, the founder works very closely with children's services he is also the principal and asked me to congratulate you Eponine, you passed the entrance exam with flying colours. Azelma we were lucky to get you a place, you are going to have to work harder." The woman said with a too sweet smile.

"I try,"

"What about me," the little boy with the dirty blonde curls asked.

"Gav you're too young to go with us," Azelma said softly to her 7 year old brother.

"Where am I going?"

"You haven't told him!" Eponine shouted.

"Gavroche, you're going to live with a lovely new family," the woman said again crouching down and ruffling his hair. Anyone who knew Gavroche knew never to bend down when talking to him. He hated to be patronised.

"Gav it's alright you'll still get to see us, right?" Azelma said looking between the two adults.

"Of course we'll set up a contact session twice a semester." The woman said.

"Twice?" Eponine said staring at her as if she were a madman.

"Eponine I don't think you quite understand what witness protection entails." The man said.

"Really well I don't think you understand what family entails."

"Eppy, I don't understand." Gavroche said quietly looking up at his elder sister.

"I know you don't baby but it's going to be okay." She drew her arms around her siblings and pulled them close.

* * *

"Couf! Coufeyrac! Put me down now." The girl shouted from her boyfriend's shoulder.

"Ok," he stopped running and flung her off his shoulder and into the sea. The water was up to his thighs so as she regained her footing it was up to her waist. She didn't look happy.

"Arri, I'm sorry," he raised a hand to cup her cheek but she turned away. "Ariadne?"

She spun back around to splash him laughing as she did.

"I suppose I deserved that right?"

"Yes you did." She said taking a step towards him looping both arms around his neck, he intern laced his arms around her waist so his hand splayed against her bare back below her red bikini strap. He pulled her small frame against his muscular one. One of her hands ran down his bare chest to settle just over his heart, Coufeyrac grinned at her not the cheeky grin he used when he was with his friends, this one was different, the one reserved only for her. He kissed her then softly at first then deeper and more passionate. His lips crushed against hers as the waves lapped around them. She on tiptoes, his head bent down to reach her. They stayed like that for minutes though it could have been hours or even days, just them on their beach this late summer evening.

"Arri," Coufeyrac said as he broke the kiss, "I've been thinking, we're going back to the academy Saturday and I just thought it was time that we-"

"No, Couf, not yet."

"Then when? We have to tell him, what if he finds out from someone else."

"Cosette and Musichetta won't tell anyone."

"Really, what about Marius, Cosette might let something slip."

"She won't, look I hate lying to him as well but now isn't a good time, it's been a rough year and you've been there for me, but it's not over, the trial, they haven't caught the whole gang yet. Maybe once the trial is over."

"Alright baby," he pulled her tight against him. As they walked back up the beach towards Ariadne's beach house Coufeyrac checked his watch.

"I better get going it's nearly 6, I'll see you on Saturday."

"Course."

He then grabbed his top and shoes, kissed Arri quickly on the forehead and jogged around the side of the house to his car.

* * *

15 minutes later Enjolras returned home.

"Hello." He called out and his sister ran through the kitchen to him.

"Hey, how was it?"

"Done just need both our signatures," he placed the documentation on the table.

"Have you read it, because I'm not going to?"

"Arri, its good practise."

"Why do I need to once I sign this I'll own a law firm."

"Correction, we'll own a law firm."

"Right," Enjolras pulled out a pen from the suit he was wearing and passed it to her. She quickly signed her name; A Benwood, she loved her signature. The 'A' was replaced with a five point star followed by Benwood and a flick off the 'd' underlined the whole thing. Enjolras signed then. His was impossible to read but he signed with a flourish.

"That's it, everything sorted." Enjolras said tucking the pen away into the suit pocket.

"We own a law firm!" Ariadne said excitedly.

"Yeah we also own a $50 mil country estate and a flat in Chelsea, but your right the law firms more impressive." He replied dryly. He then proceeded to a short summery of his meeting with their lawyers.

"are you all packed for school?" Ari asked after grabbing a couple cans of diet coke out of the fridge.

"Where are grams and pops?" he said ignoring her but accepting the can as she sat back down.

"Bingo, did you hear what I said?"

"I thought that was last night?"

"No salsa was last night. I said have you packed?"

"nearly,"

"we leave in two days."

"Alright. " he said defensively.

"I'm just saying."

"I know just quit with the nagging."

"You avoiding it won't make it go away. your friends miss you, Couf only lives 5 minutes away and you haven't seen him once all holiday. some of the guys flew out to visit last week and you didn't go to see them, they miss you."

"I haven't gone anywhere." Enjolras said defensively

"They miss the old you, I miss the old you, they've started saying you've turned to marble." Ari placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Well I'm sorry if I'm affected by my parent's murder!" he snapped. Ari flinched back,

"I'm affected I just won't let it run my life." With tears pricking at her eyes she turned and grabbed the bag she packed earlier, "I'm going to Chetta's, Cosette is visiting, I didn't fancy inviting them round here." Then she turned and left leaving her brother alone in their parent's beach house.

* * *

"How long till we leave here?" Azelma asked her sister.

They were staying temporarily in a small safe house in the outskirts of New York. It was a two bed terrace; their temporary guardian was lady who liked to bake sadly she wasn't very good as the siblings had learned by trying one of her rock cakes. The size of the house meant the children all shared one room. Inside was a small wardrobe in which held the children's new cloths; which they had had to order online. A set of bunk beds and a put you up in the corner by the window.

"They told us we have to be at the school by Saturday, it's a boarding school so we have to days to settle in and the class starts. Gav, you're going to be picked up on Friday, they told me they've got you a pace in Florida, do you know what that means?" she said smiling up at the top bunk.

"That I won't see you and Zel." The little boy muttered over the rails.

"No, it means you'll be near Disney land, and it is known as the sunshine state."

"I'll miss you Eppy." That broke Eponine's heart. She stood up and wrapped her arms around her brother.

"It's Wednesday so tomorrow we have the best day ever agreed." Eponine said putting her smile back on. They both nodded in return.

They all sat on the beds they'd chosen and Gavroche was drifting off when Azelma whispered,

"Eppy,"

"Yeah" her sister replied.

"Can I see the brochure again,"

"Sure." Eponine opened her bag which was next to her bed and drew out the glossy broche to toss it over to her sister.

"The ABC Academy, A private institution for young people aged 1 to 18." Azelma read out loud.

"I have to admit it looks good,"

"We here at the Academy we pride ourselves on providing a unique learning environment, where anyone can achieve no matter the dream. If they want to be a politician or a mechanic, a hairdresser or Broadway star there is a place for them here at ABC." she continued reading in silence.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: this chapter mostly introduces the school and some characters, the rest will come in next chapter. Enjoy :)**

**thank you to CrimsoCrescendo for you review :)**

* * *

"Eponine and Azelma Jondrette." Eponine said to the lady at the main reception.

"Ah here we are, Eponine you are in building 3 second floor room 5. Azelma building 2 first floor room 3. And here are your schedules welcome to ABC." The receptionist said with a bright white smile, forcing paper and keys in to their hands before ushering them away.

They had been dropped off at the school 2 hours early which meant they were the first in line. After filling out a pile of paper work their temporary guardian left but not before handing them a box of freshly burnt cookies. They were first in line for their room allocation and now the only thing Eponine had left to worry about was who her roommate would be. Eponine was used to sharing a room with her siblings but the academy was a private school so no doubt it would be full of posh snobs who would take one look at her cheap cloths and ignore her. The authorities had been generous in letting them pick out their new cloths so Eponine liked the cloths she was wearing but they would hardly match up with the designer gear the other students were bound to have. At the moment Eponine was wearing black skinny jeans which were too hot for the September sun and a black and cream stripped t-shirt that was what Azelma had described as fashionably baggy, although Eponine thought it swamped her too skinny frame. Her hair was pulled up underneath her newsboy hat which remained one of the only items she had managed to salvage from her previous home. They had provided her and Azelma with an IPhone 5c saying it would help them to blend in but Eponine guessed they were being tracked to make sure they stayed away from trouble should it come near. None the less she had accepted the blue one and Azelma had taken the pink.

They both stood awkwardly in the foyer; Azelma was dressed appropriately for summer in shorts, a floral cover up and sandals. We both had are black suitcases as we watched the queue at the reception grow as more students arrived.

"Hey, you must be new."

"Um, yeah," Eponine said turning to see the owner of the voice. It was a girl about her age. She was almost as tall as Eponine and had a single long braid of gold running over one shoulder. She a pink floral sun dress and white ballet flats. She smiled at them with pearly white teeth and big blue eyes. She out stretched her French manicured hand.

"Hi I'm Cosette,"

"Eponine and this is my sister, Azelma." Eponine shock Cosette's and indicated to Azelma who gave her a shy smile. She loved to play the innocent cute girl no one would think she was only in the year below her.

"Do you know where you are going to?" Cosette continued, she didn't seem like the typical beautiful rich kid, she genuinely looked concerned.

"I'm trying to find our rooms."

"Ok well I'll take you," she indicated to her own pink suitcase, "I'm heading there now."

As they started walking through a labyrinth of unknown corridors Cosette pointed out things like the canteen or library. The exited the main building to enter a courtyard. It was a green with a fountain in the middle. It was closed in by a covered walkway around its perimeter. Adjacent to the main building was a grand two story building and the same on the opposite side. Straight ahead there was a break in the walk way and the siblings could make out a car par on the other side.

"Freshmen and Junior," Cosette said indicating to the left side, "Sophomore and Senior," she pointed to the right side. "Where you heading?"

Cosette lead them to Azelma's ne room and waited patiently for Eponine to settle her in.

"You'll have to wait to meet your roommate she's a transfer from London,"

"Do you know everyone's room here?" Eponine asked with raised eyebrows.

"More or less, my dad's the principal and founder so he told me to show any newbies around."

"Well thank you Cosette," Azelma said as she chose a bed next to the window. The room was easily big enough for two and had an en suite shower and toilet.

"Lunch is at 12 and dinners at 6 in the canteen." Cosette said still standing in the doorway not wanting to intrude.

"I'll come pick you up then, ok?" Eponine said kissing her sister on the forehead. The gesture was a chilling reminder of her fare well the Gavroche.

As they left the questions started.

"So where are you from?"

"Well New York originally but I moved to Chicago for 6 years to live with my grandparents."

"Oh, whys that?" she asked purely out of curiosity.

"My mum died when I was 10 and my dad was in the army but he went missing 4 years ago." Eponine read out her story word perfect. Not all of it was lies, her mother had died, but it was 2 years ago not 6, but she didn't have grandparents, at least not that she knew about.

"Oh how awful for you, I understand sort of, my mother died when I was 8, and my papa isn't my real father he adopted me." She pointed to the fountain in the middle of the green as they went around the walkway to the junior's building. "Fantine's fountain, a memorial to my mother."

"It's beautiful," Eponine said quietly as Cosette gazed at it. There were more people in the courtyard now, all of them manoeuvring one or more bags and cases.

"Your roommate, her names Ariadne, she's one of my best friends, umm… just a warning her parents died last year and the trials ongoing so, be considerate."

"Oh of course, wow, are there a lot of orphans here?"

"Not really, her and her brother are the only others I know." Cosette forced a smile and changed the subject.

"House rules, in your room building by 9 lights out at 11 latest. Breakfast is 8 till 9 and class starts at 9:15, but that's not till Monday, No boys in your room but they can come in the common room," she indicated to a large room full of sofas and a flat screen telly. Eponine poked her head in to see it had a kitchenette in the corner.

"Nice."

"Yeah any junior can go in there or another year if there invited." They came to a flight of stairs and as Eponine started to climb after Cosette she heard her scream.

"Oh isn't he the sweetest." Cosette returned to the top of the stairs wielding a large bouquet of roses.

"Boyfriend?"

"Yeah, Marius he sends flowers to my room at the start of a new term." She indicated to an open wooden box labelled 'post' outside room 4.

"That's me, and you said room 8 right?" Eponine nodded still a bit shocked at the roses.

"Ok here we are, I'll knock on you for dinner if you want?"

"Thanks," Eponine nodded and slotted the room key into her new door. As Cosette walked off Eponine couldn't help but notice a small spring in her step.

Her room was bigger than Azelma's it had the same to beds with the addition of a window seat. Inside the en suite there was a bath with an overhead shower and a vanity. Eponine chose her bed and opened her suit case. She put her folded cloths in the set of draws closest to her and hung up the remainder on one half of a built in wardrobe. Underneath her cloths she saw a box she didn't remember packing. Attached to it was a note:

_Eponine,_

_I noticed you didn't have a laptop and thought you could do with one. Consider this a present for being such a lovely guest, I'll see you at Christmas,_

_Love,_

_Miss Mitchel _

_Xxx_

Eponine felt guilty she had barely remembered her temporary guardian and she had left her a present. She would make sure to thank her when the returned at Christmas.

As she opened the book she was shocked to find it contain a mac book, she thought back to the house they had stayed in, Miss Mitchel didn't appear to be someone who had a lot of money but she assumed the same gift awaited Azelma. She placed it on top of the desk closest to her and opened it up. She already had an account set up and there was a word document open.

'_You are probably wondering how I afforded this but don't worry I got lucky on a scratch card and they are both second hand (Azelma's got one too) but I made sure they were in good condition, I hope you don't mind.'_

Eponine smiled, it was by far the most expensive gift she had ever been given.

"Hello." A voice behind her made Eponine jump and shut the lid quickly. "Sorry, if I startled you." Eponine turned around and met the girl who had just entered.

She was short and pale with bright blue eyes and red lips and dark blonde hair with highlights. She was wearing shorts, a bright orange baggy t-shirt, that fitted her perfectly and black converse. She was slim and petit unlike Eponine's lanky stick like frame caused by malnourishment.

"Eponine Jondrette, I'm your roommate."

"Well I guessed as much, Ariadne Benwood, you new here?"

"Yeah,"

"Well, seeing as you're my roommate, feel free to use any of my stuff, trust me I have way too much, and I can tell we are going to be great friends."

"Um… ok."

"Sorry I just hate that awkward stage when you don't know where you stand with someone, shall we just say we're friends."

"Thanks,"

"Seriously you can't be worse than my last roommate, she was horrible, I spent most of my time in Cosette and Chetta's room." She took the other bed without question and started to unpack.

"I met her, she's nice."

"Yeah she is and before you ask no that is not an act, she is the most genuine person alive."

"Marius sent her flowers."

"Yeah well, he would, he loved her from the moment he set eyes on her and they're the most romantic couple ever,"

"Oh god,"

"Don't worry I'll introduce you to every one later."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: so for anyone wondering the characters are based off the 2012 film but younger. this chapter introduces more character but also some plot lines, enjoy :) **

**Thanks to Smiles1998 for your review :)**

**Please review I love to get feed back xx**

* * *

"So where you from?" Ariadne said as she emerged from the en suite after depositing her toiletries.

"New York originally. You?" Eponine said as she stuffed her other shoes under the bed.

"California by birth but I moved to Florida after… um my grandparents live there," she said turning her back to hang a set of cloths in the wardrobe. Eponine couldn't help but notice she had a lot more than her.

"Cosette told me, I'm sorry for your loss."

"Are you scholarship?" she asked quickly changing the subject.

"Umm… yeah."

"Don't worry not many people here will judge you for that, I certainly won't." she said smiling brightly at her.

"Thanks."

"Seriously, Chetta's scholarship and so is Jehan,"

"How many are there?"

"4 girls and 4 boys per year I think. So you and Chetta, there must be two other girls but not everyone likes to admit it."

"Will I get stick for it?" To be honest Eponine didn't care what people thought of her but Azelma did and the idea of her sister getting bullied was something she couldn't bear.

"Only off the Kelly's so steer clear of them."

"Kelly's?"

"Velma and Veronica, they're twins, oh and their lap dog Roxie, they hate everyone."

"Right, are they juniors?"

"Seniors,"

"Ok,"

"Hang out with me and they won't bother you." She said and Eponine couldn't help but feel warmth towards her new roommate. She'd never had friends at her last school just Azelma, but Ariadne and Cosette seemed determined to make her feel welcome.

"Why,"

"They fancy my brother," she said with a short laugh.

"Cosette mentioned you had a brother."

"Yeah Enjolras, he'd never go for them, or any one for that matter."

"Why's that?"

"He's a man on a mission, he's set to work for my dad's law firm, that's all he cares about now, he wants to make them proud." She spat out the last part.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You want to know what happened."

"Yeah, if it's not too hard to say."

"They went to New York, Business trip, and they were murdered." She looked down at the worn carpet and picked at her nails.

"Oh god, Cosette said the trial was on going, did the catch them?"

"It was a gang and they caught three of them, the court believes there is a fourth member."

"That's horrible."

They sat together for the next half hour talking about their lives; Eponine felt bad lying to this girl who was being o nice to her. She wanted to tell her that she knew exactly where her father was, that she understood what it was like waiting for the outcome of a trial. But there was so much she didn't know, what was it her farther had done, he ran a pub, sure his suppliers weren't always on the right side of the law but times were tough and after mum died things got bad. But now they spoke of great crimes, so great that he was refused visiting rights, so great that she and Azelma would only see Gavroche twice a semester. She knew what it was like to want answers just like Ariadne clearly did. They moved on to talking about the school. She spoke on and on about her friends as if she was trying to sell her friendship group as a holiday destination.

So far she had learnt that it consisted of 3 girls: Cosette, a girl called Musichetta or Chetta for short and herself. And 7 boys, some of them were juniors so lived in the floor below. This included a Joly who Ariadne described as an idiot because he still hadn't asked out Chetta after years of fliting. He shared a room with Grantaire who as great as long as you kept him away from alcohol,

"He's a pain at parties." But other than that he sounded like a nice enough guy. Then there was Jehan who had got in on scholarship because he was an inspiring musician and song writer, a real talent so Ariadne had said. He didn't have a roommate because his room was specially adapted as he used a wheel chair. The rest were seniors like Marius who roomed with Coufeyrac, Eponine couldn't help but notice Ariadne's eye's shine and a light blush dust over her cheeks as she said his name. Then finally her brother and his best friend Combeferre, a science and Philosophy student who looked after them all.

"Wow that's quite a group,"

"Yeah, so what'd you get your scholarship for?" Eponine was surprised at the sudden change in subject.

"Well I want to take sociology so the scholar ship is just a general one, it's not specialised," Eponine felt awkward them, she knew her acceptance to the school hadn't been through the usual channels, she had taken the same exam anyone had, she had been accepted because Mr Valjean's involvement in child services.

"Oh it must be a humanities one." Right as if on cue there was a knock on the door.

Cosette had come as it was time for lunch. It was then Eponine met Musichetta. She was tall, curvy and tanned with waist length pin straight black hair. She met Eponine with a hug and a kiss in each cheek. She wore a lot of eyeliner and jewellery. She wore a short black skirt and a tight electric blue crop top. Her appearance took Eponine by surprise.

"What I like to dress up for lunch,"

"Correction you like to dress up for Joly," Ariadne said smiling.

"What's wrong with that? I haven't seen him in months; he needs to know what he's missing."

"Because it's not very 'you'." Chetta sighed at that and disappeared of to her room saying she'd meet them there.

As the excited the building Eponine saw Azelma already walking in to the main block with someone else. She smiled she was pleased her sister was making friends.

So she walked to the canteen with her own new friends, as soon as they entered Cosette ran into the arms of a nearby boy in the queue. When the met he spun her around before kissing her forehead and slinging an arm around her shoulders ignoring the people behind moaning about queue skips.

"Wow," Eponine said as she and Ariadne made their way to the back of the queue.

Once they had their food they settled down at a table with Cosette and Marius and a number of other guys. As they came near they all cheered out 'Ari' ad she introduced her to everyone. They all smiled and spoke to her bar one, Enjolras gave her a nod before going back to a discussion with Combeferre. Eponine tried to ignore it but she found her eyes drifting to him as they ate. He was tall and muscular but there was something unthreatening about his face, blue eyes like Ariadne's and dark blonde curls that reminded her of Gavroche. As he talked he moved his hands in large gestures and Combeferre would nod along as if perpetually thinking. Eponine caught lines of what he was saying,

"Foster care should be a last resort, parents need the support they shouldn't just have their kids taken away," Combeferre nodded at that before adding,

"But shouldn't the child's safety be first priority." Coufeyrac was also watching the discussion and so added a comment that caught Eponine's attention.

"My mum's started fostering, she's just got a little boy, and he would have ended up in some orphanage if she hadn't."

"Yes that's all well and good but your family can afford to take care of him, other families can but then there circumstances change and they can't." Enjolras added but Coufeyrac was back with response straight away,

"There are thorough background and financial checks to make sure the family is suitable," Eponine wanted to say something as they carried on debating, eventually she couldn't hold her tongue,

"Coufeyrac I get what you mean but the fostering system is flawed, massively so," everyone turn to see what she had to say at that point. "Siblings can be separated at the blink of an eye, it happened to someone I knew." She added hastily on the end.

"But they get to see them still, they have to right?" Combeferre said.

"Guess how many contact sessions my friend gets." There was a moment of thinking before Grantaire guessed,

"One a week?"

"No twice a semester, and her brother was sent to a different state." Everyone was silent then, it was as if no one could believe it until Coufeyrac spoke.

"But that's better than them living in a home, where they could be bullied, abused, have their stuff stolen, me and my mum visited some of these places and they are horrible, the kids don't get the same treatment that a normal one would and that's what children deserve, parents, not some social worker who sees them as a file in a draw."

"Guys can we drop the subject." Marius said. Everyone turned to him and shut up. He had his arm wrapped around Cosette's shoulder and she was playing with her hand in her lap.

"Cosette I'm so sorry, I didn't think." Coufeyrac said his hand over his mouth.

"Its fine, I know the system is flawed, my mother needed help but didn't get it, who knows where I'd be if she had," she started played with a gold locket around her neck. "Your right Enjolras, parents in difficult situations do need more support, but Couf's right as well, the foster system worked in my case, I was adopted by the end." The discussion stopped there and then just as Musichetta arrived. She was now wearing a lot less make up and white skinny jeans teamed with a blue tank top and blue pumps, this showed a lot less skin than before. She walked over to their table and to the absence of a chair perched of Joly's lap. She wound an arm around his neck,

"Hey, you miss me?" she whispered loudly in his ear. His face quickly turned a violent shade of red before he stuttered,

"Hi Chetta." Everyone sighed. Musichetta took the opportunity to steal his sandwich.

They continued like this until everyone was finished, when the conversation off what happened over the summer started it was abruptly stopped by Ariadne who jumped from her seat and was violently sick in a nearby bin. Couf was the first to call out to her but Enjolras was on his feet and pulling her hair back from her face.

"Ari, what's wrong," he said.

"I need to lie down," she muttered. Eponine stood up and gently held her arm.

"I'll take her." Enjolras nodded and they left the canteen in silence.


	4. Chapter 4

"Are you alright?" Eponine asked as she helped Ariadne up the stairs. Her walking had slowed down and she was resting more on Eponine.

"Yeah, I'll be fine, I just… I'm just…" but she didn't get to finish her sentence before she fell forwards onto the landing.

"Ariadne!" Eponine called out as she fell to her knees beside her, placing two fingers to the inside of her rest she felt a strong pulse. She shook her gently by the shoulder but she didn't stir. Quickly placing her in the recovery position Eponine rose and ran back down the stairs straight in to Cosette and Chetta,

"Is she alright?" they asked in unison.

"She just collapsed, I… up there." She said indicating upwards. As Cosette dashed u the stairs Chetta called behind her,

"Joly, come quick."

As they returned upstairs Eponine noticed Cosette had moved her friends body off the top of the stair well and was talking to someone on her phone.

"Ok papa come quick." She finished explaining he was going to bring his car around and take her to the hospital. Joly knelt down and much like Eponine had done checked her pulse, satisfied he next proceeded to check her airways and breathing.

"He wants to be a doctor," Musichetta explained, "He's done a lot of first aid training."

Cosette turned to Eponine quickly,

"Could you go get Enjolras, he should go with her. He'll be in the senior common room by now." Eponine nodded quickly before retreating back down the stairs.

Cosette had been right Enjolras was sat in the senior common room which was identical to the juniors'. As she entered she caught his I and he instantly leapt off a sofa the walked over to her.

"Is she okay?" he said his face hard as stone, eyes burning into her.

"No, she collapsed-"

"What!"

"Cosette father is taking her to the hospital, she sent me to get you." Without another word he ran from the room just as Coufeyrac was entering.

"What's going on?" he said turning to Eponine.

"Ariadne collapsed." Coufeyrac's face turned pale and he turned as if to follow Enjolras. Eponine caught his arm. It made sense now, the way he had called out to her when she was sick , the way she'd said his name, she'd as good as ran to the spare eat beside him at lunch.

"She'll be ok, they're taking her to the hospital," she gave him a long look and he nodded.

"You know?" she nodded.

"Did Ari tell you?"

"No I'm just observant."

"They don't know," he said indicating to the boys who all bar Joly and Enjolras were sat around the TV.

"I figured as much."

Coufeyrac nodded,

"It's not that I don't want to its just complicated." Eponine knew complicated, she knew what it was like to lie to people that have done nothing to deserve it.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" she said, this seemed to surprise him as he lifted his head to meet her eyes.

"With you?"

"Sometimes it helps to talk with someone you don't know but its fine if you don't want-"

"No, sorry, um… talking would be nice, just not here." He said leading her out the door.

He led her to the back of the building and out of a fire door, the climbed up the fire escape and on to the flat roof.

"Wow, nice view," Eponine said walking to the edge of the roof and looking over carefully. Opposite she could see her own building, an exact reflection of the one she was stood on. This was by far the most modern part of the establishment; the main building was a large expanse of turrets and slopping roofs. She'd read in the brochure that it was built in an old church, she could see were building had been added on. The dorm buildings had been built later over the site the stables would have been. The whole school was located in the middle of nowhere, 5 miles from the nearest town, Eponine suspected that was the basis of its' appeal to the child services, out of sight out of mind.

"Yeah, I used to go up on the juniors roof to clear my head." He sat down his legs hanging over the edge.

"So, how long have you two been a couple?"

"Ariadne, can you hear me?" a soft voice whispered. She could hear and as her eyes were opened a bright light shone in them.

"What's going on?"

"You Collapsed, you were sick and then you collapsed," she recognised the voice of Cosette and sure enough her face came into view.

"Is he here?"

"Who sweetie?"

"Enjy, I don't want him to be worried,"

"You're going to be fine Miss Benwood." The nurse said reassuringly.

"He went to get coffee." Cosette added.

"You were anaemic dear, that's what caused you to collapse," the nurse added.

"What?"

"Anaemic, you didn't have enough iron in your blood." The nurse sat her up and handed her some water. She looked around the room, Cosette was sat in a chair next to her bed and her farther stood invisible at the back of the room. The nurse was a large lady with pink cheeks and a big smile.

"My head-," Ariadne said touching it gently she found a big bandage.

"You hit it as you fell, knocked you out, lucky your friends reacted so quickly."

She frowned, she remembered being sick after lunch and then Eponine, the new girl taking her upstairs. What must Eponine think of her, first time they meet and she collapsed.

"Miss Benwood," the nurse started.

"Ariadne please." She corrected with a smile.

"We had to take some blood, to find out what happened, we think we know why your iron was low. It's a symptom and the blood test confirmed our suspicions."

"No, I'm not, I can't get ill, Enjolras needs me, I'm all he's got. I can't put him through that, and Couf, I can't-" Ariadne said quickly shaking her head.

"No you're not ill."

"But you said."

"Miss Benwood you're pregnant."

The room was silent then. Nothing moved. The silence only broke from two coffee cups falling through the air.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry for the late update didn't have internet for a few days. enjoy Chapter 5 thanks to everyone who reviewed. :)**

* * *

"Why?"

"I had a reputation."

"Oh,"

"I used to be a flirt; I dated a lot of girls. Mostly from the school in the town, we go down some weekends and they just want to talk to you, get a piece of us. Just because our parents have money. I was a sophomore and my birthdays in July, I was 15 and I was getting noticed, I'm not proud of what happened, but it did."

"You don't have to justify yourself, guys do stupid things at that age."

"My parents had just got divorced, I was in a bad place and these girls, I would take the out, a different girl each weekend, and it became a sport to them, who could get me to take them on a second date. I didn't like that so I stopped but the reputation stuck."

"So Ariadne?"

"When she joined she stayed away from us, made her own friends, she was this tiny mousy girl and then Marius met Cosette and we just merged together. That was near the end of the year. When I started as a junior she had changed so much. She dyed her hair, dark brown, and grown, don't get me wrong she's still titch, but it was like she was this new person. She was more confident and spoke up more, as if she was coming out of her brother's shadow. She was more than just Enjolras's sister, she was Ari, just Ari, and she grew on me."

"So how'd it happen?"

"Well, it was her sixteenth so we held a party in the sophomore common room. She was getting her car delivered in so Enjolras left to sort it out. But she didn't understand so I had to stop her because it was a surprise. She left the room so I followed her and I couldn't come up with a reason so I just kissed her. And then we started dating but we didn't want to tell anyone because he's so protective and then we were going to but her parents died and it just wasn't right and now I don't know when she said after the trial but-"

"You're worried

"I don't want to lose her,"

"Who's is it."

"I can't be,"

"Ari, I asked you who's is it."

Cosette's farther had ordered everyone out of the room so Ariadne could talk to her brother. Ari was grateful for his understanding but was trying to come to terms with the news. She and Couf had always been careful. She wanted to call him, she wanted him here. But she couldn't think straight, one month the nurse had said, she hadn't even noticed.

"Ari, was it some boy from the town, someone on holiday, just give me his name we can track him down."

"Enj please…" she said looking up at him.

"Do I know him?"

"Enj…" she looked to her hands that were wringing themselves.

"I do. One of our friends?" She bit her lip.

She could see the cogs turning in his eyes he was working it out. The only person guy both of them knew properly who she could have seen a month ago was Coufeyrac. There other friends came from all over America; Enjolras was closest to Combeferre because they met at kindergarten in California. Grantaire came from Arizona and no one knew where Joly lived he never said the state just some small town no one had ever heard of. The school didn't have a catchment area; it offered an education to the brightest and best around the country. Whatever the talent or dream. Mr Valjean believed in talent.

"Coufeyrac."

"Enj."

"When?"

"What?"

"Did he come over flirt with you, was that all it took?"

"No!"

"Then tell me, how you would come to get knocked up by one of my best friends."

"I'm sorry I wanted we wanted to tell you but it never seemed the right time, and then mum and dad, well-"

"Hang on do you mean to say that this has been going on for over six months?!" he stood up and backed away from her.

"Enj, Please,"

"How long?"

"Nearly a year." She told him straight.

"Why?"

"I love him."

"I love her, when I imagine my future she's there, I want to tell everyone but I won't till she's ready, but what if she never is?"

"She will be."

"How do you know?"

"It'll come out and she'll have to be these things always do."

They talked on the roof for ages; he was easy to talk to. He explained he was from Florida and how happy he'd been when he learnt Ariadne would be staying at her beach house for the holiday. He said he could attend the school as his dad paid for it because he never saw him. He joked about how everyone here has enough money to have their cars transported so they can drive them on the weekends.

"Not me though." She had said, she had a licence but she never got a car and didn't feel she needed one when she lived in New York, not that her father could have afforded one.

"Sorry, that must have sounded bad. All I mean is…"

"It's fine. I like it here."

"Good."

He reminded her of Gavroche which hurt, they had the same laugh and Eponine could imagine her brother growing up to have the same natural charm. They went back down after a while and sat in the common room. The other boys and Chetta were there but Ariadne, Enjolras and Cosette were still absent. They all sat around talking, Eponine felt a part of their group within minutes, she just seemed to fit in. she got up to make herself a coffee and they had called out their own orders. Joly had followed her up to help and she noticed him staring longingly at Chetta as the kettle boiled.

"You should ask her out." Eponine said he turned back to the kettle as if he hadn't heard her. Eponine was about to say more when Marius jumped from his seat grinning.

"I just got a text from Cosette!" he shouted.

Grantaire pulled him roughly by the trouser leg back down to his seat.

"Cool, no one cares."

"She says Ari is fine and they'll be back in five." He said ignoring Grantaire.

Cosette had been right about one thing. 5 minutes later they were back but everything was not ok.

"You bastard!" Enjolras ran into the room straight up to Coufeyrac, who had stood up, and swung a punch that caught his jaw, seconds later he had Couf up against the wall holding him there his forearm pressing into his throat, "What have you done to her!" Ari was close behind her brother followed by Cosette and an older man who Eponine assumed was her father. The three of the tried to wrench Enjolras off and he ended up face down with Mr Valjean pinning him down telling him to calm it.

"Well you might as well know," Ari said to all the staring eyes as she walked to Couf's side, choking back tears, "We're having a baby," Ari pulled Couf by the arm and left the common room. Enjolras was allowed up then and Combeferre slowly approached his closest friend.

"Enj, Man are you alright?" he said laying a hand on his shoulder. Enjolras shook it off and walk away, just before the door he turn to stare at them,

"Don't follow me."


End file.
